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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:51 am Post subject: Hasta Alaska – Chile to Alaska VW Travel Series |
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Hello and Hola! I just got introduced to this awesome community by a fellow bus owner that I met in Cartagena, Colombia!
I have an invitation for you.... I have bought and converted a VW Kombi T2 from Chile and am on my way to Alaska (currently trying to get across the Darien jungle from Colombia to Panama)
My project is to bring the roadtripping dream to the people and let people come and stay for free for a while and experience the roads less travelled in the Americas.
It is kind of like mobile couchsurfing.
I made a short video to explain all and promote the trip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJpbOdrfYC8
This video is in a competition for Couchsurfing and it would be great if our VW loving community could SHARE my video with Facebook, twitter and VW sites, and also LIKE it on YouTube (this is how I win the round the world ticket, with the most likes)
Hopefully you or one of your friends might be available to come and join me in Central, mexico or North America for a little adventure!
Follow us at www.facebook.com/HastaAlaska |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:01 am Post subject: Also expect a few technical questions coming your way |
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One thing to add. Something breaks on my Kombi most days, I have broken down on an errupting volcano (that I should not have been on in the first place) and had the engine out 4 times in the past 2 months.
Getting reliable information down here in Latin America is very difficult and the Mechanics are shocking! So please expect a few technical questions from me from time to time.
Lord knows I could use the help! |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51155 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Well that certainly looks like an ambitious adventure that you'll never forget, good for you!
Please keep us updated here occasionally as some of us refuse to even click on a Facebook link.
Good luck on your journey! _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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Jon65 Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2012 Posts: 2417
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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You're a very brave person.
Good luck on your journey and keep us posted. |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:29 pm Post subject: Check out our Kombi trip to the Amazon! |
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Hey guys,
Our Hasta Alaska trip is doomed with kombi related problems. I am stuck in Panama now, lack of compression and the engine bouncing around like it was on rubber bands and that makes engine out number 5 (in the past 4 months).
Broken piston, and valves (both have less than 5000km in my engine) and I am currently rebuilding it on my own for the first time!!"!! No idea what I am doing, the engine is in bits and I am a little worried down here!
Anyways, check out Episode 3 of the Trip in Ecuador. This is where we take the Kombi into the Amazon, and breakdown on an errupting volcano! And where we rebuild the entire engine!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpGXGbb5GsU
Happy travels
Ben
www.facebook.com/HastaAlaska |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51155 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Check out our Kombi trip to the Amazon! |
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HastaAlaska wrote: |
Broken piston, and valves (both have less than 5000km in my engine) and I am currently rebuilding it on my own for the first time!!"!! No idea what I am doing, the engine is in bits and I am a little worried down here! |
Sorry to hear that Ben, perhaps we should discuss how you are setting the timing to reduce the chances of this happening again. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17970 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:57 am Post subject: |
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How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine by Tom Wilson from www.Amazon.com would help. _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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mark tucker Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2009 Posts: 23937 Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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awassom trip guys, good luck.and dont forget to have some fun while your at it. |
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Jon65 Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2012 Posts: 2417
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Hope you get everything straightened out. Best of luck to you on the rest of your trip. |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:46 pm Post subject: Yes lets discuss timing |
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Yes Busdaddy, now would be a perfect time to discuss setting up timing as I have no idea how to do that!!!!
I have spent the whole day sawing at the piston I found to make it fit. (sounds bad but I think it will work)
Pistons are now in the cylinders and they are ready to go on. Any advice from anyone would be appreciated at this point.
Also I am building this outside in a dusty yard under a tree. Quite a bit of dirt has gotten into my crank. It is monsoon season and I only have cardboard to cover it Please tell me this is not the end of the world!! |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51155 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: Yes lets discuss timing |
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HastaAlaska wrote: |
Please tell me this is not the end of the world!! |
That's not supposed to happen until later this week
Dirt in your engine is really bad, especially on a type 1 with no oil filter, wash out as much as possible with gas or kerosene (don't set yourself on fire) and change the oil 5 minutes after you get it running. Timing may be the least of your worries if you are "sawing" pistons to fit, please tell us more about that operation as well as what distributor and carb your bus has on it. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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Where are you in Panama?
I am in Gorgona, which is about 60 miles outside of Panama City on the Pacific side. I'm two minutes off the highway.
I'm not sure I can help much, but if you are close by maybe we can chat. I know an American mechanic and he's an older guy, so he might know about air cooled engines.
Do you haopen to have a sign on yours that says "Chulay" because I just saw a bus today in a mechanics yard and it looks a lot like yours.
Anyway, my name is Chris and my cell is 6567-6774 |
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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Holy crap, just checked out your Facebook page and saw your bus, with the sign. You are literally two blocks from where I live.
I will drive down to the garage in the morning and see if you are around. My wife is on Facebook, so maybe she can pass along some info.
Call me.
I am not a mechanic and don't have tools. But, I have a 72 bus sitting back in Canada and I'll try to help you out however I can. |
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, one more post tonight. The American mechanic is only about two miles from you - out on the highway near the entrance to Gorgona. His name is Len and he can probably get you whatever parts you need and help out if you can get it to him.
I've not dealt with the place where you are parked so I can't comment on them.
Len's number is 6045-3543 |
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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So, I met up with Ben today to offer some support. He's got the engine out and is working away. I was able to line up a guy who knows air cooled engines if Ben needs some help. Unfortunately, all I can do other that that is offer him a shower, couch to crash on, some food and cold beer.
Maybe we can posts some pics and everyone can offer some advice? |
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Ian Samba Moderator
Joined: August 28, 2002 Posts: 4932 Location: 713
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Stoked!!! I have been following and offering advice on Facebook. I do have some used pistons that are in top nick that I can ship to you guys in Panama, seriously send me an address!
Super stoked that another Samba person was able to link up with Ben and at least offer a couch to crash on!!!
You are kicking ass Ben!!!
STOKED STOKED
Czech out the vids, you'll probably be as hooked as I am!!
Link
Link
Link
_________________ All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012
**ACHTUNG DO NOT USE AA BRAND PRODUCTS OR BUY ANYTHING FROM PACIFIC PARTS INTERNATIONAL IN CALIFORNIA** |
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19super73 Hardcore Stock Nazi
Joined: October 18, 2007 Posts: 4351 Location: Cité Soleil
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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Hey everyone
We've moved the thread over to the bus forum so we could get some more technical advice.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538476
Agreed, those videos Ben is doing are very cool. He's still going at it but at least I've been able to get him a shower, some meals and some cold beers. He's content sleeping in the bus - very good of the garage owner to let him do that.
Hopefully he'll get the bus going tomorrow. It seems setting the timing will be the key issue at this point.
And, another Samba member stopped by to offer support! I didn't meet him so I'm not sure who it was. Unfortunately he didn't have much technical expertise either. The cool thing is that Ben is learning this as he goes, and doing quite well I think. |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject: THE SAMBA Rocks |
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Crazy that I felt like I was in the back end of nowhere and the two Samba members came by to see what the situation was. Not to mention all the great support I am getting remotely. It really does feel like Christmas!
Busdaddy, the piston I managed to get from the back of a garage in Panama City looked pretty good, a few scratches but much better than my broken piston...and well, the only option really. Ian did kindly offer to send one down to me (which I still haven't ruled out) but I would really like to be back on the road before Christmas!
So the problem with the replacement piston is that the bottom ring (by that I mean the oil distributor ring) wasn't rotating at all, it was rather stuck. so I had to saw, and sand the ring (of the piston itself) to allow enough space for the oil ring to move freely.
It looked ok when it went in. Tomorrow we will find out if it worked, and how much damage the dust, sand and tree that is in my engine has done.
I was literally picking out leaves from my crank today.
PS, on a side note, my dog has burried in the sand all the screws and bolts for putting the engine back in the bus... Not exactly the best conditions to rebuild the top end. |
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HastaAlaska Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2012 Posts: 1420 Location: Off Grid
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